Young Writers Society

Adam

The room comes into focus slowly. It then stays in focus for two seconds, before my vision blurs over and I close my eyes again. I slowly sit upright, at which point my head pounds harder than a jack-hammer. A long groan leaves my throat as I heave myself into a passable standing position. The short stretch of room to my shower feels like I'm crossing the roughest, widest ocean ever. I trip over something long and thin, give up, and in the most dignified way possible, crawl to the shower.
Fifteen minutes of scaldingly hot water brings me back from the brink and I walk out like a real person again. A quick toweling of my hair brings up a wave of nausea, so I steady myself on the doorframe. I pause.

"What the hell happened to my room?"

My bed is snapped in half, with my mattress lying beside it - which I presume I was sleeping on. The light in the ceiling is dangling on the ground with a few metres of bare wire hanging out. Looking down, I notice the thing I tripped over is some kind of giant arrow. I pick the thing up, to start in fear as I realise it has at least a kilo of explosive attached to it. I pull it a little closer from my ginger-arms length grasp when I notice there's a stuck on the point. The writing is messy and there are wet patches on it.

Adam, I tested the first one after you crashed and it did bugger all. This has double the explosive, so it should do more than just blow the training dummies in two. I've gone to fit a launcher onto the Range Rover. Bring more beer.

I am completely stunned. What on earth occurred last night? I remember - through the waves of dizziness and nausea - shooting some of the dummies in the training room with Moore. He then cracked open a crate of lager and I can't recall anything from after that.
Deciding that action is preferable to thoughts, I throw on some clothes and head to get some breakfast. When I arrive however, everyone is leaving in a hurry. I grab Alex as he runs past.

"Hey Alex, what's happening? Why the mad rush?"

He shouts over his shoulder as he heads to the armoury. I think. I'm still not too sure about where everything is.

"There are monsters appearing all over the city. We're splitting up into groups to tackle them all at once!"

Great. Now I really need to find Moore.

At first John thought that waking up in the boot of a Range Rover surrounded by empty beer bottles and welding tools was the oddest thing that could happen to him in a day. The discovery of what appeared to be some kind of launcher on the car’s roof and a series of badly drawn plans on napkins scattered in the back seats quickly proved him wrong.
The plans ranged from confusing diagrams to simple notes such as: "Problem – explosion too small. Solution – more explosives.” Aim for the day: find out what the hell happened last night, John decided. The Hunter looked around the garage, the newly modified Range Rover was one of the few still left. And going by the tire marks the rest had left in a hurry.

“What in Christ’s name did I sleep through?” At that moment Adam wandered into the garage, carrying what looked like a harpoon with a substantial amount of explosives attached to it. “What the hell is that?” John demanded.

“I think we made it.” Adam asked uncertainly. “And I think we got shitfaced last night.” John looked between the harpoon and the launcher.

“You know what, I think that’s strong possibility.” He agreed. Adam frowned and walked up to the launcher, scanning over it climbing up to sit next to it.

“Does this happen every time you get drunk?” He asked.

“More often than you’d expect.” John shrugged.

“Alex said we’re off hunting again, smaller teams this time.” Adam told him after admiring the launcher for a while. “I hope to Christ we get to use this.”

“I thought you didn’t like killing things.” John pointed out. Adam shrugged.

“I am but come on, how often do you get to fire exploding arrows from car?” John chuckled.

“Let’s go find out what we get to blow up then.”

Anton Wolfe
After Jaegar and Nathaniel left I continued into the Monstrumarium. The Bunyip lay dead in its cage. I took a closer look and noticed the small hole in its head. They must have ripped that chip thingy out. On second thought, Jaegar had probably been the one who had done it.

The sudden beep from my cellphone startled me. I pulled it out from my pocket and read the text message. More monsters, and we were splitting up. I sighed loudly. If I ended up with Darcy there was a high chance that one of us wouldn't come back.

After one last glance at the dead Bunyip I hurried up to my room and grabbed my two daggers and throwing knifes. I looked at my father's gun but left it in the drawer. This wasn't the time for that.

I caught up to Miranda further down the hall. "What's going on?"

She turned to look at me. "Several monster attacks at the same time."

"Bloodletters?"

"I don't know. Probably. You ready?"

"Mm." I gave her a firm nod.

We continued towards the meeting point.

Darcy

When Nathaniel said it, looking so confused and younger than he was, all the thoughts of old Irish and decoding left Darcy's mind.
I love you.
She just stared at him, feeling like an idiot. They knew each other for a short time, she's never had anything close to a boyfriend before, and her failure with the bunyip was probably what made the Bloodletters to send the army of monsters now... And she was pretty sure she loved him too.
She licked her lips, planning on confessing that.
"Why?" She asked instead, and he laughed after a moment.
"Why? What kind of response is that? Why not?"
She opened her mouth, without a clue what to say, getting interrupted by Jaegar slamming the door open.

"I just found the list," he said, looking at Darcy. "We're a team, so get moving."
She considered just leaving with him. But glancing at Nathaniel again, she couldn't imagine herself just turning away now.
"Go get my crossbow," she said to Jaegar, "Will you?"
He gave her a strange look.
"What, from your room?"
She frowned, glaring at him.
"Did you forget where it is?" She asked, and with a dark smile that probably meant no good for her tree, he turned and left them alone again. Darcy kept watching the door, up until Nathaniel sat next to her.

"Are you sure it's smart to let m go to your room like that?" He asked, "I mean, after what he and Anton did to-"
"It was hellhound's poison," she muttered, and he seemed a bit confused again.
"Yes, that thing they did to your tree-"
"It was hellhound's poison that made me sleep," she cut his words again. "I... When I first woke up, when Anton came and apologize.. I touched his blood and.. And mine."
She still felt her skin burning up, and just hoped she looks less sick and worried than she was.
"Darcy, hellhound's poison is not curable. You'd be dead."
"Yeah," she muttered. "Ribs don't heal over night either, and I'm fine, am I not?"
Nathaniel searched for words, and she just decided to let herself go and tell him everything. She might die on this mission anyway. "Someone came and healed me," she whispered. "I think.. I think it was my Dad who made that antidote."
He glared at her, frowning a little. Darcy was pretty sure he's heard of her family story - it was a kind of legend among the students on the Academy, though everyone thought it was made up.
"There's no cure for that. And your father.. He works for the Society?"
Darcy shook her head, wondering if she should shut up, or made something up, and just not involve him in her troubles. If she tells him everything, he won't love her anymore - that she was sure of. Would he turn against her, fear her or hate her.. That she couldn't tell.
"He doesn't," she said silently, looking up to meet his eyes. "I think he maybe works for them."

Nathaniel was silent for a long time.
"A Bloodletter member," he said then slowly, "could hardly just enter this place. And why would your father be one of them?"
She felt like crying - why was it so normal to cry around him, as easy as when she was far from anyone's eyes? She sighed.
"When my mother was young, she loved wandering through the forest. One dawn she came home and she was pregnant, and the story says it was a forest spirit - forest monster, if you wish. I didn't imagine that. You can ask my uncle if you want. There's a reason the monsters understand me, Nathaniel.. I just don't know how far it goes. My past isn't something I'm hiding with lies, but kind of a legend I couldn't figure out in years. Now everything is changing and revealing and, I don't know... It almost scares me." She looked down again, fighting with herself so she doesn't cry. "You should just find yourself a normal girl to love."
For a long time - or so it seemed - he said nothing. Then he reached over, wiped a tear from her cheek with his finger, and she forced herself to look at him again. Darcy liked when he acted protective and caring. That was unusual to have, and she didn't want to lose him - if she even still had him, that is. She did her best to calm herself and not fall in s arms crying again.
"Fine then," he said. "After this, when we come back, we'll find out about the truth." He smiled a little. "I may hear a proper answer then."

"Hey, lovebirds." Jaegar was back, this time holding her weapon, still with the same grumpy face. "You coming or not?"
*

My breakfast got cut short by a buzzing of my cell phone. I sigh and read the message.

More tip offs, you'll be splitting up.

Great. Just great. Split up. If I end up with Darcy... I dispose of my extra food and jog up to my room. I grab extra bullets for the .44, which isn't a lot, Anton went pretty crazy with them, and my sword, and head out the door. My gun was already on me. You never know. I start back down the hall, and Anton catches up to me.

"What's going on?" he said.

"Several monster attacks at the same time." I was surprised he didn't know.

"Bloodletters?"

"I don't know. Probably. You ready?" I said. He looked ready, he was armed to the teeth. Not sure if that was a good thing or not.

"Mm." he said nodding. I look at him, and we head into Torrence's office. Torrence announces who everyone is working with, and I got paired with Alex. Great, not much better than Nathaniel or Darcy. When he says Alex's name, I groan.

"Alright Alex, time's a-wasting, let's get a move on." He just looks at me for a second, and then we move out. We get in the land rover and head out.

Korina

"Alright everyone. These are your groups. Darcy and Jaegar. Korina and Anton. Alex and Miranda. Adam, Nathaniel, and John. Please see me to find out where to go." Torrance concluded.

Is he mad? Every single one of these groups is sure to be a mess. Maybe he's just trying to make them balanced. But could he have balanced them with people less likely to kill each other?

I walked up to him and asked, "Where are Anton and I going?"

"A scrapyard. Here's the address." He slipped me a folded piece of paper, and looked me straight in the eyes. "I know you think these groups are bad ideas, but trust me, I have a reason."

Anton was grumbling about something under his breath that I couldn't catch. I handed him the paper. "Our destination. Let's get this over with."

Nathaniel,

"You should just find a normal girl to love." Darcy looks down miserable at her hands, and a single tear rolls down her cheek.

As if, I think to myself, I couldn't stop loving you if I tried.

After a moment that stretches into eternity, I reach out and catch the tear from her cheek. She looks hesitantly into my eyes. I smile.

"Fine then. After this, when we come back, we'll find out about the truth," my smile grows, " I may hear a proper answer then."

Which is, of course, when Jaegar comes back, still looking pissed.

"Hey, lovebirds," he says, holding out Darcy's crossbow, "You coming or not?"

I glance at Darcy, and her face is composed. She grabs the weapon and stands up.

"Let's get this over with," she growls. I smile again and follow them out the doors. When we get back, we'll finish this conversation, and all will be well.

Torrance is waiting for us impatiently. He rattles off the groups we are to hunt with and hands out slips of paper with the locations of the tip-offs. I'm with John and Adam, who seem to have become friends over night. And they are clearly hung over, clutching what seems to be an explosive-tipped harpoon. Wonderful, just wonderful. When we get to the garage, I get in the driver's seat. John looks mutinous, but I glare at him.

"No questions," I snap, and he closes his mouth and gets in shotgun, clutching the harpoon, "And we're not using that, unless absolutely necessary. I mean, Jesus, you'll blow up a building along with whatever it is you're shooting at."

John doesn't say anything, but exchanges glances with Adam. I roll my eyes and start the car. The address where we're supposed to go to is next to the loading docks, not very far from the Society.

When we pull up, the docks are deserted, and I realize with a start that it's Sunday. Nobody's at work today, which will make our lives easier. I step out of the car and take in a breath, which comes out a cough as I inhale a noxious odor, one that I've smelled before. John and Adam get out as well and take a whiff. Only one thing makes that smell, of dead fish and drowned things, and I've hunted them once, off the coast of Ireland. Capaill uisce. Water horse.

Anton Wolfe
"Our destination. Let's get this over with."

I sighed and took the note she held towards me. Scrapyard, huh? "I'm driving," I muttered and pulled my car keys from my pocket.

I lead the way towards the garage, glancing back at Korina from time to time. How was I supposed to fight when I had to protect her at the same time? Was she even able to protect herself? Sure, she had that bow, but that wasn't especially usefull. What if the monster had thick skin? Flimsy arrows wouldn't do her any good then.

"Is that your car?"

"It was my dad's." I opened the trunk, and froze. Where the hell had all the explosives gone? After a closer look at the lock I realized it had been picked. Oh, I was going to kill John and Adam when we came back. picked up a semi-automatic gun and tossed it to her. She managed to catch it, but when she saw what it was she froze. "Use that instead. It's already loaded."

"I don't.."

"Just aim and pull the trigger, it's not that hard."

She made a move as if she intended to give it back, but changed her mind and held on to it. I sat down behind the wheel, and she sat next to me. "I'm guessing you have the whole trunk filled with weapons?"

"Yeah." I started the car.

She opened her mouth to say something, but I pushed the gas pedal as far as it went and the car flew out of the garage. Korina didn't say a word during the whole trip, she just held on to the seat, her face pale and eyes wide.

---

When we arrived at the scrapyard Korina staggered out of the car. "Either you let me drive on the way back, or I'll walk."

"Then you'll have to walk," I muttered and sniffed the air. There was a smell that I didn't recognize, definitely a monster.

"That car shredder over there is still running, so there has to be someone here. Lets check the crane."

I nodded and followed her to the crane. It was empty, but there was blood on the seat and a bloody trail leading from the crane and around a pile of old tires. I pulled my daggers and followed it, Korina walking close behind me. The body at the end of the trail had been torn apart and partially eaten. Korina looked like she wanted to hurl.

"Whatever did this must have massive claws. Any idea what it is?" Well, since I had a walking encyclopedia I might as well use it.

She looked at the body, most unwillingly. "It could be a range of different monsters."

The sudden sound of rattling metal startled us. I instinctively pulled one of my throwing knives at threw it. The blade buried itself in the ground right in front of a big, ugly, dog-like creature. It turned and ran away with a loud snarl.

"That was a Hodag," Korina said quietly. She was clutching the gun.

"Hodags don't exist."

"It looked pretty existing to me," she snapped.

I sighed. "Fine. How do I kill it?"

"Eugene Shepard said the he blew it up with dynamite." Oh, I was so going to kill Adam and John. "But he apparently made it all up."

"You're not very helpful," I remarked dryly, but then I realized that she actually could be helpful. "They're not immune to poison, right?" I pulled out two more throwing knives.

"I don't know. There's not much known about them."

I used one of the knives to cut my thumb and then smeared blood over both the blades. "That ought to do the trick," I muttered. There was a big sheet of metal laying nearby, so I picked it up and gave it to Korina, who looked quite confused.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Hold it up and use it as a shield in case it attacks you." I started walking away, and just before I disappeared around the edge of the pile of tires I added: "And don't forget to look tasty." Before she had time to protest I ran around the pile of tires and started climbing. Hopefully the Hodag was stupid enough to fall for it.

Just as I had managed to climb up and back around it I heard a loud growl. The Hodag was charging at Korina, so I threw the two poisoned knives. They both buried themselves in its back, but the creature didn't even flinch. It kept running towards Korina, who instead of protecting herself, like I told her, dropped the sheet of metal and started running. Idiot! What was she thinking? The sight of fleeing pray seemed to excite the Hodag even more.

It was about to attack when I pulled out more knives and threw them at the Hodag, before jumping down to the ground. It turned from Korina and charged at me instead. The poison should be taking effect now, and it did indeed seem slower, though only a bit. I pulled out my daggers to shield myself from it claws, but instead of raising its paw it ran straight into me. It knocked me onto my back, and I was forced to drop my daggers and grab on to its throat to hold it away from me. Its teeth were snapping together rig in front of my face.

"Korina!?" Nothing happened, and I couldn't really turn and look for her. "Korina for f***'s sake, shoot the damn thing! Korina!!"

The was a loud bang, and then another one and another one. The Hodag's body finally became limp. I struggled a bit to get the damn thing of me and got up, and sighed when I noticed the smeared blood all over my clothes.

"Thanks." I looked up at Korina, who had dropped the gun and was staring at the Hodag with wide eyes. "Korina?"

Korina

It attacked Anton. I saw that. I...I didn't think. I panicked. Raising the gun, all it took was a finger twitch, and the hodag stiffened and died...

I dropped the gun and stared at him. He looked so innocent in death...I knew Anton was calling my name, but I didn't respond. This...this was genocide. That hodag was supposed to be the only member of it's species, and I killed it. I destroyed someone as alone in the world, as misunderstood, as I am. At least I have my friends, the hope of freeing Isa, and the knowledge that my parents will always be at home waiting for me. This so called monster had none of that. And I murdered it.

Anton grabbed my shoulder, whether to shake me to my senses or to comfort me I will never know. I pushed him away, which he must not have expected, because he stumbled back a few steps. And then I ran. I had to get away from this place.

I could almost see the blood on my hands, though I hadn't even touched the monster. Could almost feel the warm rivulets running down my fingers...It felt so real, even though I knew there was no blood. And that was what scared me most of all. To be able to kill, and hide the signs. After all, how different truly are the monsters from the rest of us?

I fired a gun. I held a weapon designed to kill and made my choice...at least with the bow and arrows, I could get in a leg shot or something else that would incapitate it...

I hope Anton is okay. He didn't do anything wrong. It's me, I'll never be able to live with myself again...

Without knowing it, I was at the Society. The Society...a smoking pile of rubble.

Mr Anonymous

Mr Darcy - or that's how he was called, being miss Aislinn's father, though she got the name from her mother - awaited in a darkened room filled with smells and sounds of something Mr A. didn't quite want to meet. His brother, walking beside him, seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"Gentlemen. I didn't expect you both. Or yet, for that matter."
Mr A. frowned as something touched his leg, and Darcy led them out of the dark room. They took seats in the next room, along with tea and some cookies, and he locked the room they left before turning to them.
"Your kid is fine," Mr A's brother said.
"Good. She will feel a little changed for a while, though. Little less compassionate, I'd say."
"We could use that antidote you made for our purposes as well, you know."
Mr Darcy seemed to be considering it for a moment.
"No, you're not threatened. You don't need it, and nor does anyone else. I told you already, I made one exception and will not do it again."
Mr A. nodded - he wasn't expecting a different answer.
"The team is divided," he said. "Are you sure your girl will come back alive this time?"
Darcy smiled a little, and his pupils narrowed.
"Alive? She will. They all will, as you very well know."
"Indeed," his brother said. "Judging on who they are, each one would be able to capture or... defeat... the monster they're send against." Darcy fisted his hands at the word defeat, but said nothing. "The only thing this will do is to keep them away for long enough."
Mr Anonymous smiled.
"Exactly so."
*

Darcy

She sat next to Jaegar as he drove them from the Society, wondering if she'll ever see them all again. Next time, I'll send an army, Mr Anonymous had said. Darcy somehow imagined them all fighting together against that army. Not like this, not separated and put in pairs with people they couldn't stand. She glanced at Jaegar, who stared at the road and obviously ignored her. It could have been worse, really. If it was Anton, he'd have probably already tried to kill her - or if it was Miranda, she'd have drove her insane enough so Darcy would be doing her best to kill her.

"Graveyard," she muttered, checking the note they got. "The one in the outer part of the town. Well, there shouldn't be too much people there."
"It's Sunday," he replied, "and there are churches near graveyards. Count on people being there."
Darcy frowned, but nodded - he was actually right. She took out her notebook and tried sketching to calm herself, ending up closing the notebook as she scribbled the letter N. Out of all the things I wish or should be, I have to get to feel like a teenage girl. She sighed.

"Shit," Jaegar muttered as they approached the graveyard. Te fence, the monuments, the graves, everything was covered in webs. It didn't take a genius to figure what it was they were to hunt.
The car passed through the web over the entrance, and they both hesitated before getting out of it.
"You want to tame that?" Jaeger wasn't quite sounding like he's joking. More like, go ahead and try and I'll jump in only in case you don't get lucky. Darcy doubted that was fear - she couldn't really say she was afraid herself - but no man was actually comfortable with a thought of being tied up in some sticky cocoon and waiting to be eaten by a giant spiderish creature.

They were caught the moment they left the car, and it was harder than Darcy expected to release from the threads. Jaeger was fighting with them as well, trying to cut them off or break, and it took Darcy a few minutes to realize they're doing everything wrong.
"Stop it!" She hissed, as the web vibrated a little. Something was coming, it was obvious, and she suppressed the natural need to fight against the constraints again. "Don't move. Jaeger, don't move, she'll come to us and we'll only get sucked more!"
"She?" he asked, but came down, and Darcy growled.
"Yeah, that was the most important part of my sentence!"

The monster approached them, each of its six legs about as thick as Darcy's waist, and she couldn't help grimacing. She never managed to control something so big. And even worse, her crossbow was stuck in the net just far enough so she couldn't reach it. Jaeger managed to break one hand free, and pointed a gun at the yellowish creature. Where did he even get the gun..? And the monster, was it supposed to be-
"Yellow." Darcy froze. "Don't shoot!"
Jaeger turned to her, using his gun to free his other hand and stand on the ground free again. She managed to pull her pen out of the bag and cut the threads, more falling than standing next to him. The spider was now above them, holding to its net. Darcy pushed Jaeger's hand as he fired, so the bullet missed the monster.
"What the hell is your problem!?"
"It's yellow! The adults are gray or brownish, look at the fur, it's a kid!"
"Well I'm not into seeing it grow up!" He aimed again, and this time the bullet found its way to the monster's heart. Darcy moaned. Was it even possible for someone to miss her point like that? She should probably blame herself - they were used to her protecting the monsters, so whatever she said was probably interpreted in the same manner.

The strange clicking behind them made her shut up before she even opened her mouth. Slowly turning, they faced the other one, big enough to serve as a house.
This one was dark gray, and Darcy turned to Jaeger. Judging from his face, he figured the same thing. Mommy's home. Also, pissed.

It spitted the sticky threads towards them, and Darcy automatically pushed Jaeger away. If one of them was to be the lady in trouble, well, it should at least be a lady - and she knew that he'd hesitate far less than she would if he was the one caught.
Except, it didn't stop on catching her. Darcy didn't even have time to scream before the mouth closed around her.

The silk around her turned softer and less sticky as she found herself in the most disgusting place she's ever been. She freed herself from the threads, happy for the first time to be thin enough to be a small enough bite it didn't have to chew. Except for, well, she was now in narrow, smelly, incredibly hot place filled with something sounding like fluid, which she didn't want to touch.
In the complete dark, she reached her hand and touched what had to be the monster's belly from the inside - slippery and warm and just plain yucky. And it moved all the time, slowly, as if the whole being was made of something alive and smaller than itself. Darcy felt like puking.
"You could just spit me back," she muttered, coughing as she inhaled something.. Acid-ish. Crap. Her head was dizzy, and she couldn't think straight. I'll never see light again. I'll never see Korina, or Alex.. Or Nathaniel..

She fell out and over Jaeger as the hole suddenly appeared. He was holding one of her arrows, using it like a surgery knife, and the monster laid dead with axe stuck in its head. Probably the first time ever, Darcy wasn't feeling sorry for it.
The rain started as they stood up. She was still a bit dizzy, strange on her feet but they were both alive. How did he manage to get his axe, free her crossbow and kill it in such short time, without ending up hurt more than a few bruises, she had no idea.
"Thanks," they said at the same time, both staring at the monster. Darcy wiped something from her leg.
"Don't expect me to ever do that again," she said then. He walked back to get his axe, and she felt grateful for the rain that cleaned all that.. Whatever it was that she picked up inside. She had no idea how long it's been.

"You okay?" He asked as he returned to her, and she nodded. "That was stupid, you know."
"I didn't expect it to eat me," she confessed, surprised to find herself almost in mood for grinning. He seemed kind of cheerful too.
"Heading back?" She nodded. "You think we'll come back first?"
"I don't know about that," she said, putting the bag and the weapon on the back seat and practically falling into the front one. "But I bet our story will be the best."
*

Anton Wolfe
I watched Korina stumble away. Seriously? If she hadn't shot it it would've killed us both, and she was regretting it? What the hell was wrong with these people?! I kicked the dead Hodag as hard as I could several times, until I had finally calmed down enough to think straight.

What was I supposed to do about the bodies? I couldn't leave them here, could I? The car shredder. Though the Society would probably want to study it. I looked down at the expanding pool of blood. No way that thing was getting into my car. Car shredder it was.

---

When I finally was done I felt exhausted, and I had blood all over. Lucky I only wore black, but it was still gross. I pulled of my hoodie and tossed it into the shredder as well. I knew I hade some spare clothes in my car, so I went and changed, then tossed my other clothes into the shredder as well.

During the ride back I decided to stop and eat. I hadn't eaten any breakfast today. I stopped at McDonalds, ate quickly and then continued towards the Academy. I was going to drive down into the garage, but when I arrived I couldn't even find the entrance. Everything that was left was a smoking pile of rubbish.

I pulled over and stepped out of the car. Korina, Darcy and Jaegar was all ready there, staring with unbelieving eyes. I felt oddly composed. My fathers gun had been in a drawer in my room. I needed it.

"What are you..?" Jaegar started when he noticed me climbing the rubble.

Why did Darcy smell so bad? She smelled like rotten flesh and vomit. They both had cobwebs stuck to them. "My father's gun. I had it in my room." Shouldn't I be upset or something? All I felt was empty.

I used my nose to find the place where my room had been, and started moving beams and bricks. Luckily my room was pretty high up, so I should be able to reach it. I kept digging for quite some time, long enough for me to get dizzy from the strain, burnside kept going anyway. I was getting closer to the scent of my room, and I was not goring up until I found that gun.

"Anton?" A voice behind me, but I ignored it. It didn't matter, I needed to find it. "Anton we're leaving."

There it was, finally. The top of my drawer. Now I just had to get the rest of it out. Someone touched my shoulder and I snapped at the person's hand. I just needed to get the gun first, then I would join them.

The gun, the gun, gun, gun, gun, gun, gun, gun...

When I finally had it in my hands I almost laughed. It looked just like I had left it, not even a scratch. I stood up and noticed the others waiting for me. "I found it." I felt a silly smile spread over my face. It kind of hurt. The smile, that was. The cuts and scrapes on my arms didn't hurt as much as the smile did.

Someone said something, but I was too busy looking at the small white dots dancing in front of my eyes to listen. The world suddenly started rocking, and I couldn't keep my balance. Someone said something again, louder this time. I cłouched the gun and fell into darkness.

John Moore

“What’s that smell?” Adam asked, sniffing the air. John could smell it too. He could not place exactly what it was like but it smelt nice – calm, relaxing, soothing. Far too nice a smell for a dockyard as ugly as this. John almost let out a chuckle, the usual signs of a monster’s presence were some mutilated bodies or droppings, not a pleasant fragrance.

“Capaill uisce.” Nathaniel replied.

“Eh?” Was Adam’s indignant response, eliciting a sigh from Tallow.

“Water horse.” He explained. John placed the harpoon on the ground, it was something about the smell. If anything it made him want to take his shoes off and go for a swim.

“Wait, so we’re here to kill a pony?” John asked.

“Well hopefully not kill.” Answered Nathaniel “But yes that the general jist.” Adam walked to the water and began skimming stones.

“So how do we lure it out?” John asked. “I don’t know about you but I’m not a fan of diving in after it.”

“Us luring it isn’t the problem.” Nathaniel said. “It luring us is.”

“Well that’s sounds horribly ominous.” Adam piped in. John squatted by the water.

“So do we just start shooting into the water until it floats to the top?” He suggested. “Cause its hardly economic.” Water exploded into the sky off to John’s left. A horse, tall and graceful galloped onto the dock and shook the water off its white coat. John was caught mesmerised.

“Cover your noses!” Nathaniel shouted but John was oblivious to it. He walked in an almost trance like state towards. “John, get away from it!” The hunter continued to ignore Tallow.
He reached the horse and began to stroke its neck. He took a grip of its mane and prepared to climb onto its back when a stone hit him in the back.
Something changed, the horse was no longer as fragrant, and instead it smelt like what it was – a damp horse. An algae covered and red eyed horse at that. The horse, seemingly sensing John’s change in perception reared back and kicked at him. A hoof caught his shoulder and sent John spinning to the ground.
His reactions took over, his hand shooting to his pistol and pulling it from the holster. Before he could flick the safety off the horse’s mouth clamped down upon the barrel and tore it from John’s hand before it dived back into the water. John lay on the ground in shock for a few moments before turning to Nathaniel and Adam, who still pinched their noses.

“Did the pony just steal my gun?” Nathaniel could only nod while Adam appeared to be ending himself with laughter. John climbed to his feet. “Fuck this, I’m getting the harpoon.”

Jaegar Pen

I've noticed that I'll often change his name from Jaegar to Jaeger xD

What do you know about J'ba Fofi's?

I don't know, Mom, this is the first one we've brought home.

Then pay attention, baby, because this is important.

I dodged one of the monster's attacks by throwing myself to the ground and rolling off to the side. My hip throbbed where it made contact with the hard earth. I grunted and sprung to my feet just in time to dodge another attack. I aimed a shot at the leg curling around my leg and got a good three shots before the clip went empty.

"Goddammit."

This is why I didn't rely on guns, you couldn't depend on them. I tossed the gun as hard as I could at the spider and it hit one of its eyes. It jerked and released its grip on me. Must think. Darcy's inside that thing. I have to hurry. It's digesting her.

What do I know about J'ba Fofi's?

They mainly hunt small game prey. Granted, Darcy was pretty small, but that thing didn't really want to eat her. She was probably making it sick. I grabbed my ax from it's holster on my back and took off in a sprint towards the spider, who was still in pain because of its eye. Before it could react to my approach I slashed at one of its legs and it fell off. I took a swipe at me with the other and I met the attack with my blade. Two legs down, six to go. But Darcy was still in there. If it fell on its stomach the weight could crush her.

I screamed out loud in aggravation and backed up. I could work on blinding it. That could work. I picked up a rock from the ground and aimed for the eyes. When that one hit I grabbed for a handful. Before long the monster was more or less blinded and swing out wildly without direction. I ran up to it and pushed against its side, flipping it onto it's back. Once it was upside down I put my ax in its head.

"I really hate spiders..."

---

She didn't expect it to eat her.

I chuckled at that again as we made our way back to the academy. Go figure, because this is Darcy we're talking about. I pulled into the academy and got out. Turns out we were the first ones back. As soon as my feet hit the ground I laid down on the soft grass and sighed. My hip still throbbed painfully and my arms were sore. It took me a while to smell the smoke, and by the time I looked up Darcy was already frozen, starring at it.

"What the hell happened here," I demanded, leaping up.

Darcy mumbled something under her breath that I didn't catch. I went over and shook her on the shoulder.

"Darcy? Come on, now's not the time to be a freak."

She didn't answer, just starred at the burnt down pile of rubble. I left her and paced in small circles.

"Shit shit shit..."

Mom and Dad's pictures were in my room. Grandma and Grandpa's pictures were in my room. Gustav was still in my room. My heart clenched and I sunk down to the ground.

Breathe in breathe out breathe in breathe out no too fast slow down breathe in breathe out calm down breathe in... breathe out. Breathe out!

I let out a shuddering breath and held my head in my hands. Someone will know what to do, just wait it out.

"It'll be okay."

Who was I talking to? Darcy? Myself?

"Just, I don't know, somehow this will all be fine."

Nathaniel,

The pheremones of the capaill uisce are doing their work. John is quickly pulled under its influence, and as the uisce jumps out of the water and onto the dock, I have to hold Adam back as well. I force him to pinch his nose, and then turn back to John. Oh, bad. he's already got a hand in the uisce's slimy mane and is preparing to clamber onto its back. The uisce is a huge white stallion, with red eyes that belong on a fish, not a horse, and needle-like teeth, which it bares in an evil smile.

"No, John!" I yell, but he doesn't hear me. I throw a rock at him, and, thank God, it hits him in the back. He snaps out of it, and the capaill uisce rears, striking him on the shoulder. John collapses to the ground, but manages to pull out his pistol and aim it at the horse. Quicker than I can grasp, the uisce yanks the pistol out of his hands and plunges back into the water, leaving only a lingering scent of rot behind. Adam starts laughing uncontrollably, a side effect of the pheremones: hysteria. John is still sitting on the ground, shocked. I breath only through my mouth, and am about to say something when John looks up angrily, a look of pure hatred on his face.

"Did the pony just steal my gun?" he snarls, glaring back at us. I nod.

"Fuck this, I'm getting the harpoon," he says, springing to his feet and striding to the Range Rover.

"The hell you are," I say calmly, "We're capturing this thing. In case you didn't notice, and I'm pretty sure you didn't, there' another chip on the horse. We need to take it, alive, to study the chip's effects more."

"Screw you, Tallow," John growls, "Next time I see that thing, I'm blowing it to kingdom come."

I force the point of the harpoon down, "If that's your intention, they you're out. For good."

Adam, silent until this point, pipes up, "Hey, you can't just send him away! What gives you the right to make that decision?"

I whirl on him, "We have one mission: to capture the monster, unless that proves impossible. We have yet to prove that impossible. In fact, if mister firepower here had stopped to listen to me, we would already have captured the damn thing and been back on our way to the Society."

I take a deep breath, and the water horse bursts from the water once more. John instantly has the harpoon at his shoulder. I push him backwards, and walk slowly towards the dripping uisce. It seems to think that I am under its trance, but I have a plan. I'm not going to be able to keep Adam and John from harming or killing this beast for long, but I can at least get something from it before they do. I slide a tranq dart from my pocket and hold it in my hand. Ignoring the shouts of the other two behind me, I wrap my hands in the algae-covered mane of the capaill uisce. I make as if to climb on its back, but at the last moment, I jab the dart into a major vein in the horse's neck. It shrieks and rears, but after a few seconds, it bends its knees and collapses. Adam and John are staring at me. I smirk and pull out a scalpel.

With the bloody chip in hand, removed without permanently damaging the capaill uisce, I clamber back into the Range Rover. Adam and John manage to shove the horse back into the river, where, relieved of the influence of the Bloodletter's implant, it will hopefully be confused and make its way back across the ocean to its native waters. We don't talk as we drive back to the Society, but I'm feeling quite content with how the mission went. So content that I don't notice when we've gotten to the Society and have to check myself. I blink. Nothing. Nothing except smoking ruins. I don't remember stopping the car or getting out, or running towards the death of what was once the closest thing to a home I've had since my parents' deaths. There are people all around me, some of them familiar, I think, and also strangers, firefighters, scared civilians. I stop next to the rubble. Everything is gone, all of it burned or buried. The Monstrumarium, the Hall of Heavens. All of the information that monstrumologists have accumulated over the centuries, destroyed. My room, with all of my notes. The picture of my parents. Gone. Darcy's man-eating tree. All gone, gone, gone, gone, gone...Darcy. A sudden fear grips me. Did she get back when this happened? Were she and the others still inside? I look around wildly.

"Darcy!" I call in a strangled voice, "Korina! Alex!"

I spot Darcy, just as she looks up to see me. I stumble over to her.

"You're alive," I say stupidly, and then I wrap my arms around her and lift her off the ground, hugging her tightly. When I put her down, I'm not thinking straight, and I press my lips to hers.